Deus ex Machina
by Guntz
Summary: My name is Sam Logan, the girl who crashed and awoke to find herself in Third Earth where there is no Human left and the Animals are now rulers.
1. Deus ex Machina

Pointless.

Stupid and pointless.

It wasn't going to change a thing, no matter what I did, I was either too stupidly scared or stupidly dependent that I can't really go so far as to pull something big like that! I've had moments when I've felt pathetic but this one really took the cake. And God I wanted to bash my head repeatedly until I died, but again, I love myself too much to go and kill myself like that.

_'I shouldn't have gone through with this if I'm going to chicken out in the last minute!'_

It still didn't stop the annoying tears or the deep sobs wanting claw their way out of my throat, my shoulder trembling and my mind fogging up from the memories of what transpired hours ago...

_"I'm sorry,"_

_"I get it. It's okay..."_

_"I'll make it up to you, I promise,"_

"No," I whimper out pathetically as I make my way to the car. "You won't."

Unlocking the car I open the door and shuffle in, throwing my duffel bag in the passenger seat before I take my place on the driver seat and furiously slamming the door shut. I stare the steering wheel for a moment longer, willing myself to stop shaking before getting the ignition turned on. I pull back and manuever my way through the half empty parking lot and onto the empty streets.

Back home.

My eyes are getting watery again from just thinking how whipped I feel just by running back to the dreadful empty house, like a dog with its tail between its legs.

"Dammit, I can't stop crying." I frown, using the sleeve of my thin sweater to wipe away the tears.

_**HOOONNK~!**_

My hands snap to the wheel and my eyes blinded by the bright flash of headlights heading quickly for my side of the car, my body tense and bracing for the incoming impact I'm sure would not leave me unscathed—

In all the pandemonium of two cars heading into a terrifying collision course, a cell phone rang on the passenger seat.

**_CRASH!_**

**~o0o~**

It's raining.

I can feel it coming down hard and non-stop, although there shouldn't be showers considering there was a weather report on the television stating it was just going to be one of those cool nights of the August month. It's not that I mind the rain, I actually love the rain, I especially welcome it in the heated spring and summer times. Mom loved it so much, just going out on the porch with a quilt and sitting down on one of the chairs so she could watch it, I especially loved to join her on one of the comfy benches and watch it together with her.

There's just something calm and tranquil watching the rain, just listening to it without any thunder clapping over in the clouds or lighting brightening the sky just made the rain look more inviting to stare at.

But at the current moment...

The rain is drowning me, and it was making everything painful.

It's dark, with only flashes of the lightning beaming overhead but the images surrounding me vague and blurred. I can't see, and I can't move because of the pain—_ohmygoditfuckinghurts_—so all I can do it just lie there, listen, and endure.

"I'm telling the truth!"

A voice. Far but still close enough. Young, eager, impatient, excited.

"You're lying,"

Another one. There's two of them. Mature, skeptical, condescending.

"There was something there, I saw it!"

Help me, I pleaded, help me before the pain gets any worse.

"Hey..."

Help me...

"What is that...?"

Help me...!

"Holy...!"

"_H_... _help_... _me_..."

And the darkness soon takes me without mercy.


	2. Beastly

"..."

It's dark. Not the kind of dark where it's already night time, I can feel the warmth of sunlight with hint of the moist air being absorbed onto my bare arms, neck, and face. The scent of rain drifting in like a Febreeze aroma, very comforting now that I'm not in the rain and drowning in whatever puddle I had been lying in. It's dark still, the kind of dark where there is something obscuring my eyes from seeing anything around me.

_'I'm not in a hospital,'_

I know what a hospital smells like, what it even feels like. Cold, stark, all-too-clean smell like trying to cover all the blood and drugs from within the building that is both a Hell and Heaven.

_'I was just in a car crash.'_

That's right, I recall to myself, I turned chicken and went back to the small red car and headed straight to the house, my frustrated and vulnerable state causing me to drift off my lane. My tears blurred my vision that I went into a mode of panic and crashed into an incoming car that honked like crazy to make me get the hell out of the way.

The car hit my side and it was lights out.

But I woke up in the middle of some night, pondering why it was raining when the stars were out not too long ago. Now that I feel mostly well enough to move little by little, and my mind calm and serene, I can finally think. And questions come to me like bees drawn my the flowers. Why was it raining? And how did my body end up out in the open and not crushed within some heavily damaged car?

Probably the wrong forecast, and I had probably been thrown out of the car from the intense collision. But had been wearing a seatbelt... hadn't I? I don't even remember crashed painfully through the window and flying God knows how many feet before I landed painfully on the concrete pavement of the road or some trench.

My body aching in agony and my mind in despair of death coming to reap me but ultimately saved by two people that had no doubt found me if the soft cushions surrounding me comfortingly were anything to go by. That still didn't answer the main question.

_'Where am I?'_

A muffle sound of voices, coming closer and closer but then later fading and fading which indicated for the door to be closed shut, probably so I can rest in peace and the people outside will go on about their business. I'm not alone here, it put me at ease knowing I'm not alone in wherever the heck I ended up in.

But I am getting hungry...

_'Wonder if there is anyone that can get me something to eat.'_ I thought while nibbling my bottom lip.

The darkness blinded me, I want to see what's happening around me and the damn cloth blinding me isn't helping any. I will my sore weak arm, it felt like I'm lifting heavy weights from some machine at a gym, the exhaustion coming over me just for the effort of lifting my arm that barely brushed over the quilt covering my form. My fingers brush against the bridge of my nose and I notice how soft the material is, like that of a really fluffy towel of some kind. My fingers dip beneath the cloth just under my eyes, ready to tug it away.

But the door of whatever room I am resting in opened at that exact same moment.

A moment of silence between the intruder and myself and then—

"I'm happy to see you are well but I must advise you not to remove the cloth. Your eyes are still damaged from whatever has happened to you."

Old, wise, patient, kind. It's like talking to some grandfather. I do as he asks, finding the reason of my blindness true when the blinding headlights really took out my vision. It probably explained why I couldn't see that well that night I had been discovered. I can feel the edge of the mattress shift a little from a weigh pushing against it, and I catch a small _"hmm"_ from the man.

"Are you the doctor?" I ask, and I immediately notice how scratchy, croaked, and dry my voice is.

A second later I feel something cold and porcelain brush against the bottom of my lips and I eagerly drink whatever it is, relaxing to taste the cool welcoming water down my throat, and it felt like restrictions on my throat being released and unbound, giving it freedom.

"No," his voice calmly breaks the silence once he pulls away the cup from my mouth. "I'm no doctor, but I did my best in healing you. Now it is for your body's own choice to heal itself in time."

Usually a person says fix or taking care because when they said healing, it made them sound like some hermit or someone from many ages ago who went medieval style with the whole herbs and bone saw kind of gig. I didn't voice it though, just grateful I survived the crash and didn't end up in some morgue where my identity would not have been found and just have my body cremated.

"Oh," I hear him huff out, like there was some mild surprise. "It seems you have guests, my dear."

"Guests?"

The door creaks a little, bare skin soundly tapping against the tile floor, and it's two sets of feet that obviously suggests that I have two visitors. I move my head gently to the side of their direction, wishing oh so badly who it is standing at the doorway.

"Hey, you're finally awake!" that familiar voice from that night I've been found in the rain loudly exclaims. "I was kinda worried you wouldn't wake up from all those wounds. What happened to you?"

"Easy, little brother, she's still tired." the other one, the same one from that night as well. "Don't make her faint again."

"Oh, uh, er, sorry..." the younger one sheepishly says, I can imagine a boyish grin coming to his features.

I can't help but smile a little at the two brothers, they sound very much like those kinds of guys anyway from the way they bantered to each other.

"But I'm sort of curious myself, if you don't mind," the older one says with a bit of caution. "What did happen to you?"

"Now, now," the older man speaks up, sounding a bit firm on this very delicate matter. "As I believe, the young lady has been unconscious for almost three days and is by no doubt hungry at this point."

"Wait. Did you say... three days?" I ask, surprised. "Has anyone tried to find me?"

"No," there is a strangely surprised tone in the old man's tone. "Are there others beside yourself?"

My heart suddenly clenched up and turned to stone, my mind becoming increasingly numb at the thought that he... that he—

"Is everything alright, my dear?"

"It's nothing," I shake my head lightly. "What about the other person? I wasn't the only one found injured, right? Are they okay?"

After all, it takes two to tango.

"Nope. We just found you."

A hit-n-run. Barely anyone is a good Samaritan these days. People really don't like to face the consequences of their mistakes, although I really couldn't blame the people, it was after all my fault that I drifted off the lane.

"I'll be heading off now, your father wanted to know when she awakened. You two..."

"Stay here and baby-sit. Got it." I shifted uncomfortably from the dry tone of the older brother. Did he have anything better to do?

"I don't..." I tried to voice out a polite decline but cut myself to hear the sound of slapping followed by a low hiss and muffled chuckle.

"Be polite! I've seen you done nothing but wander the premises of this household, your training won't be for another hour and your 'friends' can certainly understand why you are needed here."

And the old man leaves me alone with the two brothers, I pull the covers closer and nearly over my mouth, suddenly nervous with being alone with complete strangers. I got the time to be familiar with the gentle old man, but the two are young and it is a known fact that young people have the tendency to be more unpredictable.

"By the way, we found something. It was just a little away from where you were three days ago."

Something a bit heavy is placed beside me, making the mattress dip from the weight and I move my one hand to feel for what it is. At first I can't recognize the feel, but little by little I feel the straps, the metal thin line, and a tiny metal object connected to one end of the material; my duffel bag!

"Oh, thank you." I tell them, relieved to have something familiar where my clothes, toiletries and other belongings are located.

And at the moment I felt_ something_ moving just near where my feet are. I jumped a little in surprise, pain jolting here and there and I can't help but give out a small hiss of pain. I hear the older brother groan in annoyance and the younger brother give a quick apology of whatever he had caused.

"No, no, Snarf! She's not some playmate you can bother!" the younger brother scolds to whatever had been on the bed and just as quickly plucked away.

"Was that a small pet...?" I rasp out.

"Yeah, sorry about that. He didn't mean to surprise you, he just wanted to say hello."

"Nice going," the older brother scolds him.

I never had pets, even as a tiny child.

"... Can I?" I pathetically ask, reaching for the small thing.

Not a moment later, the bed beside me dips from the new weight and it slowly and cautiously moved towards me, seconds later it brushed against my waiting hand, my fingers combing through their fur softly and I smile to hear the creature purr in ecstasy as I begin to rub their fur.

"He really likes you." I hear the young brother laugh a little, that image of a boyish grin coming into my mind. I really wanted to rip away the blindfold to see it for myself.

"The feeling is mutual."

A bored sigh sounded in the room, and I know without a doubt its from the older brother. The uneasiness I had forgotten from the small excitement of their pet cat returns. And my mind clicks to something I had nearly forgotten since drinking that delicious water.

"Is there a place we can go eat?" I ask.

**~o0o~**

"Are you sure about this?"

"Well, when the day is over ask me again and I'll have an answer by then."

"This is still a bad idea."

"I'm starving, you'd be surprise how far a person will go when they really want something."

"Right,"

I convinced the brothers to lead me to where I can eat, being deprived of eating for as long as three days does that to a person. I felt at first awkward to leave the bed, mostly concerned about in my state of dress and the lack of shoes. None the less I was helped out of bed and I felt myself wearing or sort of soft robe on my form, like a night dress I've seen some older people or very little children wear. It had skinny straps that clung to my bare shoulders and the edge of the dress brushed against my ankles. No shoes or slippers to be found.

Each of my arms wrapped around their own and I can tell from the feeling that these two have been working out. Oh gosh, two tall young men with muscles... my imagination is taking me into a dark, dark place that I sometimes got lost within. But there was something else when I first touched them. They both felt... soft.

Not the kind of skin lotion they would rub on their skin to get the smooth touch on, but more of like brushing my fingers against the soft pelt of some animal.

"Oh wow, I don't know if I should feel flattered or violated." the older brother cackles in humor and I just realized I've been stroking his biceps.

And I was utterly embarrassed!

"Ah! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" I cry out, my legs wobbling a little from all the excitement.

"Quit teasing her, she's going to collapse." I feel two calloused hands gently pull my trembling body straight up. Just like his arms, his hands also had the feel of fur, and the palm of his hand felt a little rough.

_'What in the world...?'_

My thoughts interrupted by the older man's laughing, sarcastically apologizing me as he took a hold of my other arm and pulling me along to continue our walk to find me some food to consume because I feel rather light-headed.

"This place is big." I commented.

"That's what you get for living inside a palace."

"A palace?"

"You'll see for yourself when you're eyes are well enough."

They both are probably exaggerating on describing their home, but the more we walked the more I began to think that just maybe that these guys aren't taking advantage of a temporarily blind girl and are actually telling the truth. Moments later I hear the sound of large heavy doors being opened to let us three pass, the scraping of wood against the tile floor and I'm gently plopped down on a chair that had cushions for my bottom and back.

"Is there anything in particular you like to eat?"

"Is there any fruits?"

"Plenty to go around, my lady."

I choose to ignore the teasing from the older brother, letting the younger one come to my rescue by trying to quietly scold his brother, I myself am busy with the cat Snarf that rubs himself against my legs. I pick up the small fat cat, combing his pelt as I await for my plate full of fruit that the brothers are picking out for me, Snarf purred and his chest vibrating on my lap. Oh gosh, he is such a cute little guy, I really want to see him.

"You know," I say to them as I continue to brush Snarf's back with my fingertips. "I never did catch your names."

The sound of a plate clattered in front of me, two chairs being pushed back for two men to join me as I plucked a small-shaped fruit and tentative bite and my inner self moans with delight to find the sweet and soury taste of a strawberry. The juices moistening my almost dry tongue, it just felt really good to finally eat after so long.

"Well, since you asked oh so nicely, I'll give you the pleasure of my name," this guy really is condescending, ain't he? "I am Tygra."

I pause in mid-grab for another fruit.

"And I am Lion-O." the younger brother sounded so proud.

My head is in the middle of registering the names that they give to me and I can only wonder; what kind of parents do these two have to give them such unique and ridiculous names?

"You both have... uh, nice names." I know without a doubt that they just knew how weirded out I am.

"We could say the same to you," _Tygra_ snorts.

"There's nothing wrong with the name Sam." I laugh as I pick up another fruit and I can tell from the hard yet small round size that it's definitely a grape.

A pregnant pause between the two brothers and then one of them speaks. "Wait, aren't you called Claire?"

"Yes, our father told us that you and him are old friends."

I almost choked on the small grape, my body becoming rigid and still from the mention of that name. A name I hadn't heard of in almost eight long years that made _him_ become detached and cold, no longer the man that told me stories of the past, no longer the man that was suppose to be so good to me when she had asked him to...

The silence is broken from the great tension I knew I made as the door leading into whatever room I am creaks open, the two chairs on either side scraped on the floor and the brothers are standing on their feet to give attention the authority of this household. I can hear the man who had entered, his footsteps of his bare feet sound huge which meant he is a large man, a strong man.

"Hello again, my old friend," his voice rich, deep, and mighty.

I can't take this darkness anymore.

I shoot to my feet and I can feel the startled cat jump off quickly as he knew I would jolt up, I claw at my blindfold and ignore the heedings of the two brothers beside me until I finally rip away the last of the damned cloth. Everything around me is in double vision, shaky and unstable but I had to see with my own two eyes! I turn to face the man who called me with such familiar name, I want to know why he knows that name but I stop the moment my blurry eyes catch his face.

At that moment, I really thought that maybe I am inside some lion pen. A person, an animal, a creature with the body of a man but the face of a lion.

"Claire...?" came Lion-O's hesitant callings by my side.

Another half-man, half-cat is standing where Lion-O should be standing, looking a young and smaller version of the great beast-man that stood before me at the opening of this big room.

"You all aren't man."

This isn't some prank, joke, or costume party where the people masquerade themselves as cat people, I knew with these feelings shouting within me that despite being half-blind I knew that what I see before me is true.

"Claire," the older lion steps towards me and I step away from him, my eyes wary and mind frightened.

"How do you know that name?" I demand, holding onto the table behind me for support.

"Do you not recognize your own friend, Claudus?" the lion growls, looking angry and... hurt? "Have you really forgotten who I am?"

"I do not know you," I answer him carefully, not wanting to be mauled by this giant. "Because I am not Claire."

The giant lion and his son, along with another man-beast, a tiger of some sort, look onto me with confusion.

I've been told not once but many times how much I looked so much like her, how there were moments that I even acted like her that it was just sort of plain scary. So many people loved her, and after that they just couldn't look at me because all they could think of is how much I looked so much like her... I hated it. Because it made him even love me less.

"Claire... she is my mother."

* * *

**A/N:** So I'm becoming a ThunderCat!2011 fan, I just love the story and the really cool new look on these guys, I haven't seen the original ThunderCats show (like maybe one episode or two but that's really not enough) but from what I hear the new one has things the new one doesn't. Such things being a story background for each character that the original didn't have. Anyway, I've seen some anime or stories where there is some person from the past that is sent to the future or ending up in another planet entirely where they have to learn to adapt and all that, and I really wanted to try it out with this. This sort of approach is that akin to my other story called _"Life is like a Boat"_ in the One Piece category about a normal boy from Our world ending up in the One Piece world and he's trying to fit in it. This time it's about a Human girl trying to fit in a world where she only saw most animals from behind zoo bars. Plus, there's gonna be twists and turns here, it's gonna be great, I promise you guys! Enjoy and remember to read and review!


	3. Who's the Toughest?

ThunderCats, a humanoid race of Cats.

They walked, talked, and most times even looked nearly human.

After that... incident... I was quietly escorted back to my room by some servant without Lion-O and Tygra and I sit all by my lonesome self near the open window, feeling my strength coming back to me slowly, my eyes looking and taking in the large city below.

I just can't believe this is happening. Am I still unconscious? Am I even alive? I don't really want to do something stupid like jump out the window and see by the time I hit the floor I'll spring awake, I'm not going to do something stupid like that chick from a dream within a dream. But how do I know what I'm experience is real, even with the pain, maybe it's the pain from needles being plugged into my sides as my unconscious body is lying on some hospital bed while my brain is stuck in some bizarre dream scape.

Just how did I end up conjuring up something like this? Just because I wanted a pet at one time as a little girl didn't mean my mind could come up with something this ludicrous!

ThunderCats? Thundera? Lion-O and Tygra? Fake, fake, _fakefakefake_—

_'This is just my mind going crazy,'_ I tell myself. _'I'm just in the hospital and the doctors are waiting for me to wake up.'_

I pinch myself and open my eyes.

Nothing. I'm still sitting by the window inside the eloquent guest room.

I close my eyes and repeat the process. Much harder though.

"Ow!" I whine, opening my eyes and expecting to see some ceiling.

The sky is still blue and the clouds rolling by over the wide kingdom full of Cats.

"Dammit!" I curse, pinching repeatedly to the point I'm leaving little bleeding spots and my eyes are tearing up. "Wake up, Sam! Why aren't you waking up?!"

Five minutes later and my arm is covered in bloody splotches and I angrily glare at the kingdom outside, feeling pathetic and useless that I cannot awaken to this dreadful nightmare that made no sense to me.

I close my eyes at the cool breeze, the light curtains flowing from the small updraft. How can I be dreaming? I can feel the breeze it's just so real. My mind shouldn't be able to make the wind feel so good against my skin.

**_Knock. Knock._**

I stiffen and look over my shoulder to the thick beautifully engraved oak door, watching quietly in my place as the door opened a few moments later and I find myself looking into great bit green innocent cat-slit eyes.

"Miyaaoo~!" the creature greets with that high pitch that is nothing I've ever heard from any sort of cat.

It almost looked like that of a normal house pet feline. Keyword; almost. A furry face with only its pink nose and adoring green eyes standing out of the light coat, ridiculous long ears with yellow tuffs of hair that trailed down its spine and at the end with its tail, the rest of the body round and red with its underside looking almost reptilian-like.

"You look like a poor imitation of a dragon," I comment to the creature that strode over to me and tangled himself between my legs, his fur brushing back and fro of my bare skin.

"Huh. Well that's a first." a familiar voice broke the silence.

Standing at the door is the very thing I wished was a sad illusion made up from my head from being unconscious from the car accident, my vision clear to take on new detail of the cat person that resembled bits and pieces of a lion but with a humanoid appearance. His attire consisted of short sleeved shirt covered by a sort of armor vest with a pauldron fasted on his right shoulder, a big belt with a red jewel serving as some buckle, dart shorts that reached below his knee caps, and shin guards. He, like everyone else I've seen, remained barefoot.

_'It's probably an animal thing,'_

He's young, but much older than I am, probably around 19 or 20 years, short spiky red hair that stood out, pointed ears, his pelt of cream and gold color that striped around his face. His blue-teal eyes, innocent and curious when they observed my form near the window, also taking note how completely different I am between me and his species.

"I, ah," he stood there awkwardly and scratches the side of his face with his nails. "I'm sorry, er, about this morning. You... you seemed surprised and upset, so..."

I watch him some more, letting him shuffle at his feet under the uncomfortable gaze he can feel from me, the awkward silence escalating to the point that the cat-like man wanted to flee. Very unlike that of his lion-esque appearance. But when I looked past his cat-like appearance, I could imagine him being a nervous ginger-head boy, seeming skittish in uncomfortable silences.

"How does he know my mother?"

"Huh?" he looks up, surprised at the sound of my voice. Calm and cool, not panicked or frightened.

"Your father. How does he know my mother?" I repeat.

He's staring down at his feet, but an unsure look crossed over his features rather than a nervous one and I know that he isn't hiding anything like I was probably hoping he was, an excuse to accuse him of hiding things from me. I turn away, looking back to the strange city that scared and fascinated me, this felt like something out of story book. I can feel for the girls being locked away in some tower in a castle, or palace as everyone says it is. A weight is pawing at my lap, I glance down to see the same creature that seeked attention wanting to rest on my lap.

"C'mon Snarf, leave her alone."

That, I blinked in disbelief, is Snarf?

The creature looks disappointed but does as his master wants and returns to the owner, and without a word or glance, I listen to the sound of retreating footsteps and I am once again left alone with various thoughts.

_'I did not see that one coming.'_ I thought.

"Miss," a new voice interrupted and I return my gaze to see a new person, a new cat person standing at the door where Lion-O had once been only moments ago. She looked like the Siamese breed kind of cats, big bright blue eyes watching me with caution from her darkened face. "His Majesty is requesting your presence."

_'Time to get the show on the road,'_ I thought before coming to stand on my own.

Seeing my trouble, the Siamese comes to my aid and helps me walk on the way to where I am to meet the king who spoke of my mother with such familiarity.

**~o0o~**

I thank the servant as we reach the throne room since she seemed she couldn't go further in, just serving as a guide, and I am greeted by several faces I am somewhat familiar, with a few new faces. I felt a small shiver of fear run through my spine as I see Claudus look down on me from where he stood, his eyes reveal nothing as he watched me like a hawk, like a great lion to his prey.

Lion-O is there as well, his expression looking the same since I last saw him; troubled. And the tiger man next to him is what I can obviously guess is Tygra, his orange, white, and black pelt color giving him away. His navy blue clothes and red jewel on his chest looking identical and different from Lion-O's own wardrobes. The cat person stood taller than the young lion and looking at me with an uncertainty, like he quite didn't know what to make or do with me.

On the other side next to the big king stands a slim old cat dressed in a long cloak and a helmet over his head, his long white beard flowing down to his torso and in his hand a staff that held him up straight, it was almost like seeing a cat version of Merlin standing loyally next to his king and friend, Arthur. The difference between the two though is that the old cat is watching me with kind and warm eyes, nothing cold and calculating.

I stop before them when I feel I'm close enough but far enough to keep a safe distance, not that it would do much good if things turned for the worse.

"I'm here." I said at last after what seemed forever, facing the large cat that mistook me for my mother.

There was a pregnant pause until the large lion spoke up. "I apologize for my actions earlier."

I only nod my head.

He gave me a once over before his fierce eyes fall to my face, taking in every trace. "You look very much like your mother."

I say nothing, because really, what is there to say? It's not like I've never heard of that remark in the first place, I just simply get tired of hearing that one line over and over, like some stupid broken record that doesn't know when to shut up.

"What is your name?"

"Samantha Logan." I bit the bottom of my lip and risked a question that's been bothering me for so long. "How do you know my mother?"

Claudus looked like he didn't want to answer but did so anyway. "She's an old friend from long before you or my sons came into being."

I just nod my head, I ain't satisfied but I'm not gonna risk anymore.

"How is she?" came the next question.

Now that question surprised me. My eyes glaze over at the thought of a free-spirited woman that made time to spend every moment with her little girl, playing and singing and so much more. I come out of my thoughts, knowing I should just give it to this 'friend' of my mother straight.

"She died," I spoke very softly as I could, staring him in eye. "She passed away from a terminal disease. If we had found it earlier, the doctors..."

'They could have saved her' went left unsaid. I didn't want to continue on with this very sensitive topic about mom's death, so I remained silent and watched the regal lion instead.

At first the older lion said nor did anything, stood there and watched me but his eyes are glazed over and a deep frown came upon his lips. That look I had seen when we first laid eyes on each other, the deep sadness succumbing and painting over his once hard eyes made me suddenly feel sorry for the king. If the words didn't convince me, then those beautifully sad eyes did the trick.

Claudus, I accepted with some reluctance, indeed knew of my beloved mother.

"I," the king coughs, trying to hide the pain and croak in his tone. "I am truly sorry for you loss, Samantha Logan."

I offer the king a sympathetic look, "And I'm sorry you lost a friend, your majesty."

And silence.

**~o0o~**

"Have you ever seen father like that?"

"Not once."

"I feel really sorry for them, father and the girl."

"Yeah,"

Lion-O peeked a little over his shoulder and his eyes immediately latch on the distance figure that sat all on their lonesome, and though he wanted to walk over there and try to placate the grieving he really didn't have the hide to do so. The strange-looking girl gave an impression that she wasn't easily approached and the fact that she looked at him and every ThunderCat with wary and cautious eyes, it made the idea of coming over even less appealing.

Seeing the troubled look on his younger brother's face, Tygra said nothing but rolled his eyes at the young lion and followed his brother's gaze to the girl. Honesty he didn't think much of her at first, just an odd-looking but not an eyesore kind of delicate creature that wandered around blindly with him and his brother as her guides. He quirked his lips when he remembered how embarrassed she was when she was caught stroking his bicep, but realized that she hadn't known at the time what he was.

And then there was the confrontation between her and their father.

Claudus looked insulted and angry that she did not recognized him which was completely out of character for him, seeing as he is a good king that didn't go around showing off his status and loyalty. But then the mistaken identity, the revelations, the withdrawal of peace between the strange girl and the Cats just made things complicated and interesting for the siblings, further making them curious about the mysteries between the girl and the old lion king.

"She looks really sad."

Lion-O continued to stare at the girl's back quietly, not quite plotting how to approach her without making a fool out of himself or invading her privacy, but he really liked to talk to her and ask her things that maybe she knows that no else does. Like techno—

"Hey," he hears Tygra behind him say. "I know that look and I'll say it now, don't ask her stupid questions."

"They're not stupid questions!" Lion-O muttered, glaring at the tiger.

"Oh really?" the older Cat raises a dark brow at him. "Is it about technology?"

"... N-no!"

"As I said," Tygra smugly crossed his arms and leaned his back on a pillar. "Don't ask her stupid questions, little brother."

_'Stupid prick,'_ Lion-O furiously turned away from his brother and glared at the girl's direction.

After a while when the anger eased down, Lion-O went back to staring at the girl, taking in her appearance. She has no fur except for the long dark brown mane on her head that went down almost the small of her back and the thin brows, the rest just bare skin. The skin wasn't hard like any Lizard, Rhino, or whatever Animal that passed through Thundera, rather it was soft and smooth to the touch. Her frame making her small and delicate-looking, she looked maybe around 16 or 17 years of age, not too far from his own.

"I wonder what kind of species she is." Lion-O wondered out loud.

"She looks like an Ape." Tygra butts in, giving his brother an unreadable look.

"But the feet," he pointed out as he looked at said limbs. "They don't look it, they're more like ours."

"She could be one of those..." Tygra trailed off, sharing a look with the red-head Cat.

"Hm, you could be right."

"Of course I am!"

"Oh shut up, Tygra!"

It was true, she looking nothing but everything like that of a Cat and Ape. Somewhere a mix between both, and Lion-O couldn't help but shudder a little from the weird calculations going through his head about the parents and the outcomes of having an offspring. But had had to admit, the young lion felt a small flush over his cheeks as he focused his eyes on the girl, that if that was the case then this girl turned out to be actually... quite nice to look at.

A snicker cut through his thinking.

Tygra was giving him that look, finding himself deeply immersed in watching his brother's expressions. Without warning, Lion-O pounced up and attacked his brother, the tiger falling back with a laugh as his brother tried to beat the crap out of him for having caught him getting googly-eyed over a pretty girl.

"TYGRA!"

* * *

I ignore the squabbling siblings, concentration on staring at the city below the balcony from the courtyard of the palace.

The king, Claudus, dismissed me once again. I don't like being dismissed so much but I relented for the sake of the giant humanoid cat's privacy to mourn for the death of his friend. I know for certain mom had a certain effect on people, like she touched their lives and did something for them that they felt indebted to her, so when they heard that the sweet same woman they looked up to died from a tumor in the heart, it left everyone upset and devastated. Shocked that something so horrible can happen to a great person such as her, and they were always there to remind me of that. Every. Fucking. Time.

I wanted to be left alone but the cat that had stood behind the family of three, Jaga, had ordered the boys to keep me company for the time being whilst him and their father had a moment to themselves. So now Lion-O and Tygra are here, with me, fighting each other over some stupid reason or another.

I let out an exasperated sigh and lay my forehead down on my crossed arms that rested on the balcony's rail, trying to come to terms that this was not a weird dream from my head and I'm most likely not in a coma.

_'But how do I explain being here, then?'_

That's the million dollar question. Just how exactly did I end up here when I had been in Nevada?

"I didn't end up in a wormhole, did I?" I ask myself.

"Wormhole?"

"_EEEK_!" I jump and wince from the old ache of my previous injuries throbbing from the sudden movement and I turn to find the tiger—Tygra—standing a little behind me and giving me an expecting look.

"Hi there," he greets me so casually, like we've been best friends since forever.

"Good Lord! Do you have to do that?!" I demand as I narrow my eyes at the bigger tiger man.

"It's your own fault for not sensing your surroundings." he easily tells me with a small smile coming over his lips.

I stare up at his, honestly dumbfounded, before my head away from him with a huff and instead look around the courtyard for his brother. I sort of found it weird how those two could be brothers when their different species, but decided not to question and think maybe the mom is a tiger and the parents had one lion and one tiger.

"Where's your brother?" I ask him out of curiosity.

From this, Tygra rolled his eyes and stepped aside, revealing the red-head cat that had moments ago been standing behind the big framed older cat-man and looking sheepish and totally embarrassed. His blue-teal eyes shot to the floor and that same stance I've seen him do when we were at the room before the meeting in the throne room.

"He's really shy around girls." Tygra inputs, breaking the awkward silence.

"Hey!" Lion-O suddenly growls, and I flinch in surprise of how deep and inhumane the sound is, like it had came from a real jungle cat.

Seeing how startled I am of the sound the young lion cuts it short and gives an apologetic look at me, and I only turn my head and look at the city below once again.

"Would you like a look around?" came an unexpected question.

"Huh?" I ask as I look back to the brothers. "Come again?"

"Hey, we're suppose to stay here." Tygra interjected with a stern look on his features.

"They didn't say we couldn't go around the city, either." Lion-O said to the older cat before looking back to me with a goofy smile. "So? You wanna come along?"

"I..." I look back at the city and then return my eyes at the young lion. "Okay. Why not?"

"We're gonna be in big trouble. It's just fate that you were destined for being a trouble magnet." Tygra comments as he shakes his head at his brother.

"No one is making you come along, Tygra."

"Of course I have to come! Someone's gotta make sure she doesn't get into bad shape because you couldn't handle the responsibility properly."

"You jerk!"

"Um," I cut in between the brothers, acting as the peacemaker when they looked like they were going for another round of rough-n-tumble. "Can I first get some clothes? I really don't feel comfortable walking around around barefoot and and a nightgown."

The two brothers blinked and then give each other an unreadable glance.

"What's so bad walking around barefoot?"

I let out a small sigh and stare straight ahead from between the two taller cats. "Just hold one for a few minutes, will ya?"

**~o0o~**

Interesting things here and there, multiples cats of multiple species wandering around here and there, merchants and shoppers looking for a good deal, workers getting their jobs done to repeat the process to get paid in the end.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of noise, crowd, and smell.

"I feel like I'm in a cat version of Middle Earth."

"Uh, this is Third Earth actually. Don't know about cat version, though."

"...!"

"Wow Lion-O, you finally managed to render a girl speechless. I'm so proud of you..."

"Will you leave me alone?!"

Dressed in simple dark skinny jeans, a white spaghetti strap top with a deep red buttoned shirt that has rolled up sleeves, and sneakers, I follow Tygra and Lion-O down to walk amongst the people of the Thundera kingdom. I got the occasional odd and curious looks but nothing really said or done as we continued to walk the crowded streets, I stuck close to the guys and looked from left to right as my eyes caught on interesting things.

"Miyaoo~!" came a mewl from beside me.

Snarf, the creature slithering around between my legs and rubbing his side comfortably against my legs and I can't help but stop and watch the little cat creature continue this until he paused and looked up to me. I know this strain between me and the cats was still there but I can't stop my heart from melting into goo from the sight of those big green eyes staring into my soul, looking so innocent and adorable.

"You're just too cute, you know that?" I tell the cat and bend over to give him a gentle pat on his head.

Snarf mewled in ecstasy and rubbed himself ahead my fingers.

I get back on my feet and say, "Hey, do you guys have any more to show m—Huh?"

Tygra and Lion-O are no longer in the same vicinity as me, somewhere amongst the crowd after they thought I was keeping up with them but foolishly got distracted by Snarf for his need of attention. Nervously, I look around to see if maybe I missed them but after a quick 180 view, they are no longer in sight and I am left all alone with only Snarf as my companion.

"Uh-oh," I mutter.

"Miyao?" Snarf searches for his master but also coming to the same conclusion that he could not find them either.

"Maybe we should go back to the palace," I suggest and turn back, heading straight for the same path me and the boys came from but stopped when I realized I had no friggin' idea where. "Oh, c'mon!"

Snarf cocks his head to the side, looking up at me as if expecting the answers about the secrets of the universe. I shuffle on my feet when I felt and saw many stare at my direction, a human girl amongst humanoid cats. I stood out like a nail and I don't want to stick around here anymore, with that decided I walk forward briskly, determined to find a way to the palace by keeping my eye up the humungous building.

"I'll be there in no time!" I say to myself with a nervous Snarf following my steps.

45 minutes later...

"Why in God's name did this entire kingdom have to be so FREAKING BIG!"

Other cats step away nervously from the shouting figure that cried towards the sky, the creature standing by her feet looking unsure and torn between staying and running away from the person's violent outburst.

I ended up what looked like the slums, from the poorly-dressed people and the little things the merchants sell along with the somewhat ugly smell surrounding the area. Not only am I lost at this point, but I couldn't find the right path that led me up to the palace! No matter how many times I tried to follow steps towards the palace, I just somehow found myself going farther and deeper under from the place.

"I can only imagine how frantic the guys are now." I mutter with guilt quelling in my chest. "And it's all my fault the guys will be in trouble, too."

"The only trouble you'll get is when you should know that you shouldn't be wandering around all by yourself, girly."

I stand up straight from the shock of hearing a gruff, unfriendly voice cut through the air behind me. I gulp nervously and give into the urge to turn and face whoever stood behind me and I immediately regret it, instead of coming face-to-face with the person, I came face-to-chest with a really huge mean-looking alley cat, his buddies hanging behind and looking not all to welcome me. Oh God, I'm surrounded by street thugs!

"H-hi there," I weakly greet the group with a pathetic smile.

"You must be new here, am I right?" one of them, a tall lanky tabby cat stepped forward and draped a long arm around my shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, I am actually!" I give a nervous laugh, the group following with a laugh of their own, but it didn't sound too friendly. "I-I'm just on my way to the palace, you see."

"The palace?"

"Y-Yeah! The king there knows me." I explain to them and try to pull away from the tabby cat's arm. "So as you can see, I'm just g-gonna go and see him! Bye!"

"Not so fast, girly!" another one, a short cat almost my size grabs the back of my collar and stops me from leaving, I'm jerked back into the group and my back is met with the belly of the giant cat from earlier. His large clawed hands rest on my shoulder and prevented me from leaving and I feel panic rising from within me. "We're not finished with this conversation."

"W-what do you want?" I stuttered, looking at all their faces.

"As a new resident of the kingdom, everyone should pay up! After all, it ain't free to anyone who isn't a Cat., you should be grateful no one hasn't kicked you out of here."

"I... I don't have any..." I whimper and feel the giant's hands clench tightly and I bite my lip to keep myself from crying out as I feel his nails dig into my shoulder.

"Hey, look!" the short cat plucks Snarf by the scruff of his neck, the poor little cat creature struggling in mid-air from the pain. "What an ugly lil' fella!"

"L-leave him alone!" I blurt out before quickly adding. "Please!"

"What's that?" a different alley cat sneers down at me, leaning close and pointing an ear at my direction. "I didn't catch that, would you like to speak a little louder?"

Before I can answer, someone did it for me.

"She said to leave her and the Snarf alone or you thick-headed lugs are going to be in a whirlwind of hurt."

"Huh?"

The alley cats and myself look up for the source of the noise and I feel my heart soar to find Lion-O and Tygra standing above ontop of a bridge that was connected by two small buildings. They looked kinda like Batman and Robin, looking noble and might as they stood above us and about to swoop in to kick the bad guys butts and save the damsel in distress.

The happy image is cut short when I let out a startled cry of pain when the big cat dug his nails deep and I can just feel them about to break through the cloth and skin and just rip my skin open.

"It's the two princes!" one alley cat said.

"Hey! Mind your own business, your highness'!" the short cat yells up at the lion and tiger sibling, shaking a hissing Snarf at their direction.

"Oh, sure, we'll leave you all to your businesses..." Tygra smirked smugly down at the group.

"Until you hand over those two, first!" Lion-O finished, cracking his knuckles to imply they wouldn't be going anywhere without me. Even if they had to resort to fighting.

"Just make it easier on yourself and hand the girl over." Tygra commanded, becoming impatient of the glaring contest between the two groups.

"Oh yeah...?" the lanky cat glares up at the two boys. "Tough talk for pampered brats!"

"O-Ow!" I whimper, my hands flying to the giant cat's hands as he continued to dig his nails deeper. "Stop it!"

"HEY!" Lion-O shouted and lunged forward, landing a kick in the giant cat's face. "Let her GO!"

I let out a squeal of pain from the nails forcibly torn from me, my two shirts torn and my skin shredded open to let the blood flow down. I drop down on my knees and duck as the bare knuckle onslaught came under way, civilians running out of the way to avoid being part of the rumble. Snarf, having escaped earlier from Tygra's kick to the small alley cat's back, the red cat creature ran through the many forest of moving feet towards me and pounced to land on my lap. I clutch Snarf to my chest and watch helplessly as the two princes handled the group of four cats, two for each of the tiger and lion to handle.

"Holy cow..." I mutter as I watch them continue.

Despite being out numbered and the fact that they are princes born of royal blood, they are actually handling themselves very well. Dodging, blocking, punching, kicking, you name it! The way they moved, I noted as I watched on with Snarf cheering for his master, it didn't look human. Swift, powerful, fast, and graceful... like cat to prey.

"Let's get outta here!"

Three alley cats, one being unconscious and carried away, scrambled off deep into the slums, turning the corner and disappearing from their sight. I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding for such a long time. I jump when a hand rests on my shoulder and wince from the throb of the scratches making itself known.

"Easy there," Tygra smoothly says as he checks over my injuries. "Just great. We leave you alone and this is what happens."

"Well, excuse me!" I snap, glaring at the older tiger. "It's not like I asked for this to happen!"

"Calm down, no one is saying that." the tiger returns the snappish tone.

"Samantha Logan! Are you okay?" Lion-O asked with concern. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"N-No," I shake my head, losing the heat with Tygra. "I'm okay. And Lion-O?"

"Yes?"

"It's just Sam. You don't have to say my whole name."

"O-oh," the lion blushes and scratches his cheek. "Heh. Sorry."

"Alright, enough of the flirting." Tygra teased us both as he helps me up on my feet. "Let's get out of here."

"That was pretty cool," I compliment the two boys with a small smile. "You two taking on those guys."

"You think so?" the tall tiger smirks down at me with a smug look and my smile turns into a frown.

"You have a ego the size of your big fat head."

While Lion-O coughed—laughed—under his breath, Tygra glared at me with his one dark brow twitching in irritation.

"Seriously," I bump a fist at Tygra's shoulder and smiled at Lion-O. "You guys were amazing! I didn't know you could move like that!"

"Well, we are trained to be warriors. Been fighting ever since we were cubs really." Lion-O grinned at me, revealing his canines but I didn't feel any wariness or fear at all, which I am thankful for.

"Hah! I've been the one doing the training while you were off playing around with your stupid junk!" Tygra pulled Lion-O in a playful headlock.

"Cut it out, Tygra!"

"Listen up Sam," Tygra tells me as he pushes Lion-O away and lets him falls back on his bottom on the street. "You do well to remember that between me and my little brother here, I'm the best."

"Yeah right!" Lion-O scowls at his brother, coming to the tall tiger's side. "She was right, you have a really big ego on you!"

"Only because most of the time, my claims are true."

I watched with amusement between the brother's quarrel, watching them argue back and forth who's the best fighter and who has the bigger ego. My eyes drift from behind the boys and my eyes widen in shock to find who is standing there. Spotting my expression, Tygra and Lion-O shared a hard look and twisted quickly around to attack whoever is planning on sneaking up on their backs.

"No, wait!" I shout.

**_THUNK!_**

**_WHAM!_**

"Miyaaaooo~!" Snarf blinked down at his fallen master and brother.

I stare down at the groaning cats before my eyes shifted up to meet the kind, gentle aged eyes of Jaga. The cloaked cat stood over Lion-O and Tygra with an amused expression on his own wrinkled features.

"Now, what was is it about you two saying something of being great warriors?"

I stifle a laugh behind my hand as Lion-O and Tygra shared a mutual grimace on their faces.

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry about the late update! I've been busy with other projects and I've completely lost focus on this very much growing popular community of the new ThunderCats series. I'm kinda disappointed that the people have yet to come up with a second season yet, going friggin hiatus on us, it sucks! If they end up canceling the show, I guess I have to make it up from there at the end of the first season, but I still got a good plot for it. I love the reviews by the way, it's great and special that so many people like this and I hope more will come to like this, as well! I'm gonna go now, so be patient for the next update!


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